The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1887-10-13
A Ft.h Village

i on submarine Nsh village aud many
curious performance did ! witness. Nj
Z point Of observation was an old wharf no
many miles from the city oi Havana l
was bull, out into The Gall Stream. bu
long ago had fallen before The torpedo, ant
iis piles had crumbled until Il rested jos
above the water like huge rai, ready Il
be launched
In this warm country shade was accep-
table TO even shore. loving 6shes. and be
meath the protecting shadow Of the old
dock large numbers of what soon began
to term my hnny friends would oongre-
gate, The plauks we're everywhere pierced
with anger holes 10 let eli water in the
days when the wharf was IN use, and by
lying fat aud applying my eyes 10 these
port holes | looked down upon the neigh
borhood unobserved The shore here was
pure silyery sand. quite sloping. so that
it afforded an eateuded field for observa-
tion; tho inshore portion Of about twelve
feet being the resort Of small fishes while
from there to the channel larger forms
made their headquarters.
Almost the first impression received
iIom watching these fishes was that they
were domestic; in other words, they had q
home life As soon as learned to dis.
tipguish certain ones found them day
after day about the same stumps or posts.
never yenturing far away. The fishes
which made up this suburban settlement,
seemed to be Of infinite variety; but per
haps altogether there were twenty or thirty
different kinds, including the stragglors
which came in from time to time, perhaps
on visit, from an old wreck that was an
other favorite spot not one hundred feet
distant, There were angle fishes in gor-
goous garbs Of yellow, blue, and black and
white, others mottled with old gold and
vermilioD, all together a very brilliant
assemblage. Then there were minute fish
es resembling a sapphire 10 color. actually
scntillating as they ldarted about, while
COW fish with veritable horns, doctor fish
with lancet ready, an occasional semora
with its curious smoking disk, the 1.-the
the spiny porcupine, and many
more
There always appeared to be the best
understanding between these villagers, ii
| except the barraconta and the doctor
ish. The former was apt, when no one
was looking, TO move silently and slowly
10 shore, and pick up and devonr an in
ant fish; while the doctor had habit OF
,rying to lance any one that came too close.
But among 80 many these were not very
disturbing elements, and to the little fishes
specially every day was holiday, and TO
,at and enjoy themselves was the one OBJ
ect in life.
A game OF tag was perhaps the common
,st performance. One little fish would
lart at another, and then be joined by
several others, until finally dozen or
more would be seen following the leader,
Who darted around the piles and posts.
inaly joining the throng to in turn chase
ome other fish which seemed now to be
elected as "It." Sometimes at was
.aught; but there never was the rough
less to show that anything but pleasantly
vas the object, and when playfellow was
tagged" that ended 1t; the game either
,eing stopped or the chase transferred to
mother fish. ] rarely visited the fish vii
age but such game was going on.
Very often in midday, when the sun was
,eating down fercely, q large school Of
ardines, little fishes allied to the herring,
would take shelter beneath the old dock.
lacked side by side, thousands upon
housands wonld lie with their heads In |
ne direction, all taking midday siesia
S the maps Of fishes go. SO large we're
hese schools that they sometimes entirely |
Iled the space beneath the platform and |
lid the real residents from view. AS
hey, too, were young fishes, il is not
irhnge that they should indulge in games
i tag" aud 'chase," often hundreds
ching in the sport.
livery creatures was that Of jumping; this
eemed to be entered into with the greatest
njoyment and spirit. The leaping was
t course not done under water, but as
nIlowa: as the tide rose the sticks and |
wigs that had been stranded were loated |
II, and soon drifted out TO the school. As
Don as stick was observed by the argus
yed throng, a score or more would dart
1 II, aud with frisk OF their tails, a
plash and clatter, over they would go, |
ut Of the water clearing the float with ali
he ease imaginable. Others would follow,
nd | noticed that those who once per-
ormed the feat returned again and again
hoving that IL was a matter Of decided
njoymept Sometimes when a supply OF
ticks was on hand dozen Of these games
you'd be going on at one time.
frequently observed the fishes taking
arons positions 10 the water without ap
srent purpose. Some would poise With
cad down, allowing themselves to grad
ally float upward until the tail touched
ae surlsce, then dart of with great We
getty. just q II they bad been playing
Oilers would swim round and
ound add round 10 circle. or take a
umltrr Of short leaps out Of the water,
a.a gla hop.skip and jump movement.
'rrsopal contests. seemingly 10 play, |
we're often carried on. Oue fish would |
elze smother by the side fn, and The two
sould swim about snd struggle for some
iuie. until perhaps, smother fsh would
Interfere and separate; the contestants -
lYide Amqte
{.